Shoe-lace holder.



N0."857,44s. PATBNTED JNE 18.1907. E. GULLBN & G.. sJoLANnER.

SHOE LAGE HOLDER. `APPLIo'M'IoN FILED JUNE 9.1906k @sgi wi h1 @su I INITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE ERNEST oULLEN AND GUSTAF sJoLANDEE, or MIDLAND, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoRs or ONE- THIRD ToJAMEs I-I. JOHNSON, or MIDLAND, MICHIGAN.

SHOE-LAGE HoLDEr-i.

No. ssa/148x Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

Application sled .me altos. serial No. 321,023.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

' the lacing -Shoestri 1s a speci cation.

invention comprises the dinary Be it known that we, ERNESTCULLEN and GUsTAF SJOLANDER, citizens of the United States, residing at Midland, in the county of Midland and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful 'Improvements in -Holders, 'of which the following This invention relates to shoe lace holders of the type employed on shoes for clamping the loose ends ofthe lacing strings, and. has for its objects to provide a 'comparatively simple, inexpensive device of this character which ma be conveniently applied for use, one'where y the free ends of the strings will be securely clamped to prevent the. string from becoming untied, and one with which the string may be conveniently engaged or disengaged.

With these and other objects :ln-view, the novel :features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a shoe upper equipped with holders embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear face view of one of the holders. Fig. 3 is a central, longitudinal section through the same, taken on the vline 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a ldetail cross section taken on the line 4-14 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, A`1, 1, designate flaps of a shoe provided with'lacing l1ooks 2 adapted for engagement by a lacing string 3 tied-in a bow 4 as usual above the uppermost hooks 2 and having its end portions 5 enga ed vwith holders 6 attached' to the flaps 1 a ove the respective rowsof hooks 2. These parts, with the exce tion of the holders 6, may all be of the usua or any appro riate constructiomand material and are a a ted in practice to perform their ornctions. f I

The holders 6, which are identical' in construction and operation, are each constructed from a single piece or blank of sheet metal, which, after being formed, is bent into shape to provide a front clamping member or jaw 7 having a central, 'longitudinal opening or slot 8 and a rear clamping ineinber or jaw9 having a central, longitudinal web or tongue 1() of substantially semicircu-- jaws an entrance .I

through the medium of which the string may sharpened engagin `lng into a bow, the ends of the strings may being rearwardly bent or overturned as at 11 to provide between the upper ends of the space or opening 12 be readily introduced into the holder. Provided on the jaw 9 at opposite sides-cil the web `10 are side portions or strips 13 which extend diagonally from a point adjacent the lower end of the web 10 to the overturned end of the latter` for bracing and strengthen- "i ing the upper portion of the jaw,l the overturned portion l1 of which terminates in a spur 14, while formed on the holder 6 at its ower end and at opposite sides of the jaw 7 is a pair of sharpened engaged portions or spurs lvwhich serve in conjunction with the spur 14? for attaching the holder to the shoe flap. r

In practice, after lacing the shoe-the string is tied to form the bow 4 and the end portions 5 are engaged respectively with the holders, as before ex4 lained. In engaging the string with the ho ders the end portions 5 are extendedacross the entrance spaces 12 and drawn downward between the jaws, it being noted that when drawn 'downward between the jaws'the-said will lie transversely of the slots 8 under the action of the webs 10 and be securely held between the latter and the side walls of the slots. It is apparent that, if desired, the loops pf the bow may, either alone, or together with the companion end portions 5, be engaged with the holders, for securing the lace, and further, that it' the length of the string is such as to preclude ty:-

besecured by engagement with the holders, thus to prevent accidental unlacing of the shoe. It will be observed that underthis construction the end portions of the string will be securely held becoming untied and that the string .may be convenientl engaged with or disengaged from the ho der.

Having thus ful y described my invention, what IA claim is:

A shoe lace holder composed of a single lng front and rear spring clamping jaws, the front jaw being provided with a longitudinal opening and terminated at its lower end in a pair of .rearwardly projecting engaging spurs, the rear jaw being flax-ufl at its upper end to portions of the string .r and be pressed into to prevent the bow from ICO piece of sheet metal folded to form coperatseat iri said opening,

forman entrance space between 'the upper ends of the jaws, a transversely eur-ved, longitudinal web struck from the rear iaw to bracing strips ormed at the sides of said web and terminally joinedtq the rear jaw for strengthening the same, sald strips 'being extended from the upper ared end of the jaw to ay point adjacent the lower end thereof, and a sharpened ro engaging'spur formed 011 the upper end ofA the `rear 'aw and adaptedfor eoperation with the holder to the shoe.

In testimony whereof, We affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

ERNEST CULLEN. `GUSTAF SJOLANDER. Witnesses:

q F. L. POST,

ETHEL M. RICE.

st named spurs for attaching the 

